White Faces Crucible Debut Opponent Before Whirlwind’s Latest Regeneration Match
Jimmy White opens his bid to return to the Crucible by meeting China’s Gao Yang in a World Championship qualifier. The match is set for the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield on Monday. White is competing on a World Snooker Tour wild card.
Career highlights and records
White turned professional in 1980. He first appeared at the Crucible in 1981, losing 10-8 in the first round to Steve Davis. Davis went on to win his first world title that year.
White won the Masters in 1984 and the UK Championship in 1992. He has compiled 327 career centuries. He also recently won the World Seniors title.
Crucible near-misses
White reached six World Championship finals but did not win the title. His final defeats came to Steve Davis, John Parrott and Stephen Hendry across the 1980s and 1990s.
He lost to Davis in 1984. He was runner-up to Hendry in 1990, 1992, 1993 and 1994. He lost to Parrott in 1991.
| Year | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Steve Davis (Eng) | Lost 18–16 |
| 1990 | Stephen Hendry (Sco) | Lost 18–12 |
| 1991 | John Parrott (Eng) | Lost 18–11 |
| 1992 | Stephen Hendry (Sco) | Lost 18–14 |
| 1993 | Stephen Hendry (Sco) | Lost 18–5 |
| 1994 | Stephen Hendry (Sco) | Lost 18–17 |
Memorable moments
White witnessed several iconic matches. In 1982, Alex Higgins produced a dramatic clearance en route to winning that year’s title. Higgins then beat Ray Reardon 18-15 in the final.
White also led Hendry 14-8 in the 1992 final before Hendry won ten frames in a row. In 1994, White was agonisingly close in a decider that ended 18-17.
Veteran status and recent form
At 63, White is still active on the professional circuit. He remains the only player from that era still competing at main tour level.
He reached the last 32 at the 2022 UK Championship. At 60, he became the oldest qualifier there since Eddie Charlton in 1993. Those wins included victories over Victor Sarkis, Mitchell Mann, Stephen Maguire and Dominic Dale.
He also came within one win of Crucible qualification twice. He lost 10-3 to Mark King in 2008 and 10-5 to Robert Milkins in 2013. His last Crucible appearance was a 10-5 first-round defeat to David Gray in 2006.
Looking ahead to Sheffield
Fans will recall White’s Crucible debut opponent and other milestones as he prepares for the qualifier. The memories of those early days add context to the Whirlwind’s latest regeneration match.
Qualifying for the 2026 World Championship runs April 6-15. Coverage will be available on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
Filmogaz.com will follow the qualifiers and report results as they happen.
